H.R. No. 186
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The longstanding bonds of friendship between the
United States and Taiwan, embodied in the Taiwan Relations Act of
1979, continue to yield important economic, strategic, and cultural
benefits; and
WHEREAS, Taiwan ranks as the United States' 10th largest
trading partner, and in 2019, bilateral trade in goods reached
$85.5 billion; the seventh-largest export market for
U.S. agricultural products, Taiwan's biennial agricultural trade
goodwill missions result in multibillion-dollar supply deals, and
its annually dispatched delegations to the SelectUSA Investment
Summit boost investment; Taiwan's recent action to lift
restrictions on U.S. beef and pork beginning in January 2021 will
help enhance bilateral trade; and
WHEREAS, The robust US-Taiwan trade and investment
partnership provides a solid foundation for a mutually beneficial
bilateral trade agreement (BTA) to spur job creation, further
expand the global market, and secure international supply chains;
Taiwan is well positioned to play an important role in augmenting
the revitalization of the global supply chain as part of the
post-pandemic economic recovery; and
WHEREAS, Taiwan is committed to helping address global
challenges, from humanitarian crises to nontraditional security
threats; moreover, this year it has emerged as an important partner
in pandemic prevention, providing 54 million surgical masks and
other PPE to more than 80 countries around the world, including
nearly 1 million surgical masks from the Taiwan government and
Taiwan affiliated private groups to the State and cities of Texas;
the Taiwan Model has achieved world renown for its effective
pandemic prevention and containment, bolstering unprecedented
international support for Taiwan's bid to participate in the World
Health Assembly (WHA); and
WHEREAS, Taiwanese officials and civil society groups
partner with the United States on a range of issues to promote our
common values of freedom, democracy, and human rights; in March,
Taiwan joined with the United States to establish the Partnership
against Coronavirus, building on the cooperative tradition of prior
joint partnerships such as the Global Cooperation and Training
Framework (GCTF), which advances Taiwanese leadership in such
arenas as democratization, human rights, women's empowerment, and
public health; and
WHEREAS, Since 1988, Texas and Taiwan have maintained a
sister-state relationship, and they enjoy particularly close
economic ties; Taiwanese firms have invested billions of dollars in
a wide range of Texas businesses; Taiwan is Texas' 10th largest
foreign market, and in 2019, it imported nearly $8.47 billion in
commodities from Texas, including computers and electronics,
industrial machinery equipment, chemicals, and foodstuffs; in
turn, Texas imported over $3.66 billion in Taiwanese goods,
primarily computers, electronics, metal products, transportation
equipment, and industrial machinery; and
WHEREAS, The establishment of a Texas Trade and Investment
Office in Taiwan could enhance the participation of small- and
medium-sized enterprises in trade and investment, and advance the
sister-state tie between Texas and Taiwan; and
WHEREAS, Texas and the United States have benefited
immeasurably through decades of unwavering friendship with Taiwan,
and the wider world is sure to reap tremendous rewards as Taiwan
works to enhance its presence in the international community; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas
Legislature hereby express its support for the strengthening of our
partnership with Taiwan and for the expansion of Taiwan's role on
the global stage; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives hereby:
(a) express support for a bilateral trade agreement between
the United States and Taiwan;
(b) express support for Taiwan's meaningful participation
in the International Criminal Police Organization, the
International Civil Aviation Organization, the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the World Health
Assembly;
(c) express support for a Texas Trade and Investment Office
in Taiwan; and
(d) celebrate the 42nd anniversary of the enactment of the
Taiwan Relations Act and the 33rd anniversary of the sister-state
relationship between the State of Texas and Taiwan; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston as
an expression of the sentiment of the Texas House of
Representatives.
Sherman, Sr.
Button
Vo
Jetton
Allen
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 186 was adopted by the House on May
14, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 127, Nays 0, 1 present, not
voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House